*Montague Center Library 150th Anniversary Party

Party will be held on Monday, November 4th, from 4 - 7 p.m.

There will be a 150th anniversary party on Monday, November 4th from 4 – 7 p.m. to celebrate the Montague Center Library’s establishment in 1869. Historical photos and documents will be on display. Melinda Georgeson will play background harp music. The Friends of the Montague Public Libraries are organizing the event.

This first public library in Montague was established by a Montague Center School teacher, Miss Bailey, who collected some books. A fair was held, which raised $1,000. A library committee was formed, and the town voted to provide a location in the town hall on March 11, 1869. Families were charged $1 a year to borrow books. After ten years, there were 1700 books. Over the years, the library shared the first floor with other users including the local chapter of the Grand Army of the Republic civil war veterans, the selectmen’s office, a post office, and a store, while the second floor served as the town hall. The town hall functions slowly transferred to various sites in Turners Falls and the post office moved to its own building. Eventually, the library took over the entire first floor, and the second floor is used infrequently by the Parks and Recreation Department.

In 1982, the Montague Center Library, Millers Falls Library (1903), and Carnegie Public Library (1906) consolidated into the Montague Public Libraries for greater efficiency. Anna Greene has been the branch library assistant for over ten years. The Montague Center Library is open on Mondays and Wednesdays from 2 – 7 p.m.